(AP) The U.S. embassy in Belgrade burns after masked attackers broke into the building and set an office...

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Angry Serbs broke into the U.S. Embassy and set fire to an office Thursday night as rioters rampaged through Belgrade's streets, putting an exclamation point of violence to a day of mass protest against Western support for an independent Kosovo.

At least 150,000 people rallied in Belgrade, waving Serbian flags and signs proclaiming "Stop USA terror," to denounce the bid by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority to create their own state out of what Serbs consider the ancient heartland of their culture.

The United States strongly criticized the violence and the Serb response. White House spokesman Dana Perino said the embassy "was attacked by thugs" and Serb police didn't do enough to stop it. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. warned Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic that it would hold them personally responsible for further damage.

Protesters burned American flags and the mob that attacked the embassy tore down the U.S. flag there. Crowds also ransacked a McDonald's, looted stores and fought with police in front of other diplomatic compounds in a display of the resentment seething in Serbia over the secession of what has been its southernmost province.

A charred body was found in the U.S. Embassy after the fire was put out, but all staff were accounted for, embassy spokeswoman Rian Harris said. Belgrade's Pink TV said the body appeared to be that of a rioter.

To read the rest http://apnews.excite.com/article/20080222/D8UV47KG1.html

What U guys think? Was the US wrong 2 support tiny country of Kosovo which didn't exist until like a week ago?

Borski

02-21-2008, 11:16 PM

Personally I am on the Serbs side, I don't think it was right for them to break into the embassy, but Kosovo is part of Serbia and should be settled that way.

The US/Europe supporting Kosovo and Russia Supporting Serbia could easily escalate into WWIII if Serbia tries to take back part of its own country. I think Serbia has every right to try and take back part of its country, but the worldwide effects could be devastating.

Borski

02-21-2008, 11:19 PM

What right does the USA have or any other nation to immediately recognize a new nation? We should just let the Serbs and Kosovo settle things there own way, after its settled and if Kosovo is still its own country then we can accept it as a new country.

Preacher

02-22-2008, 01:45 AM

What right does the USA have or any other nation to immediately recognize a new nation? We should just let the Serbs and Kosovo settle things there own way, after its settled and if Kosovo is still its own country then we can accept it as a new country.

absolutely not.

We have a right as a sovereign nation to recognize anyone and everyone we want. Furthermore, with the ethnic cleansing that was happening over there... I am happy they have become their own nation.

What I find interesting, is that the arguments used here are very similar to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict... but split in a different way.

stlrtruck

02-22-2008, 08:50 AM

What kills me is that a US Embassy is considered US soil. So therefore the attack was against the United States and yet we do nothing about it.

And while countries come and go, like Preacher said, we have the right to recognize countries or not. People get pissed off because we assist countries to become free, yet people don't get pissed off at part of the controlling regime that wants to keep people under (sort of like our own government keeping true Americans down - but that's a different thread).

TroysBadDawg

02-22-2008, 09:46 AM

What kills me is that a US Embassy is considered US soil. So therefore the attack was against the United States and yet we do nothing about it.

And while countries come and go, like Preacher said, we have the right to recognize countries or not. People get pissed off because we assist countries to become free, yet people don't get pissed off at part of the controlling regime that wants to keep people under (sort of like our own government keeping true Americans down - but that's a different thread).

I entirely agree with both you an Preacher. The republicans are saying that Clinton did nothing when our embassy was trashed and bombed but here we are again doing nothing about it. It is time the USA starts taking names and kicking butt on who ever attacks our soil, no matter here or there. Don't kid your self, the Russians know we have the power to make them a grease spot, Russia is now split up into smaller countries and they don't have the power they once did. IF they tried to unite their power base like it once was they would be fighting on multiple fronts there.

We need to keep a watch on the Chinese that Clinton gave Favorable Nation status to. They are already trying to bully the USA Naval ships.

Dino 6 Rings

02-22-2008, 09:52 AM

The reports I'm reading indicate it was mostly drunken youth that did the torching and that when the Elite Paramilitary Police force showed up they ran away quickly.

We should have expected that Serbians would be pssed if we recognized the independance of Kosovo. That's probably why no one was hurt, the US probably had their folks, "get out for a while" until the Serbs calm down. Its a very touchy issue, both sides have legitimate claims on the Kosavo land.

The only thing that kind of bothers me is that we kind of helped Kosovo secede from Serbia by keeping our troops there and having Nato run that area of Serbia for the last 8 years. Kosovo had the US and NATO army there to back up any move they wanted to make, so now, the US and NATO will be "stuck" there for even longer because if they were to leave today...well Kosovo would once again belong to the Serbians.

Dino 6 Rings

02-22-2008, 09:55 AM

as for "not doing anything" it wasn't the Serbian military that attacked the Embassy, it was civilians. The Serbian Army are the ones that scattered the crowd and beat protestors over the head. So we can't really "bom" Serbia for something their Civilians were engaged in. Plus, well bomming them just isn't a good idea. Well, unless you want WWIII, if that's the case, then its a great idea.

Im more interested in Turkey sending tanks and troops into Norther Iraq...what a mess that is.

stlrtruck

02-22-2008, 10:22 AM

as for "not doing anything" it wasn't the Serbian military that attacked the Embassy, it was civilians. The Serbian Army are the ones that scattered the crowd and beat protestors over the head. So we can't really "bom" Serbia for something their Civilians were engaged in. Plus, well bomming them just isn't a good idea. Well, unless you want WWIII, if that's the case, then its a great idea.

Im more interested in Turkey sending tanks and troops into Norther Iraq...what a mess that is.

I'm not saying we should necessarily bomb them, but requesting that a few of the mis-guided youth be handed over to the US Government - why not?

As I understand Turkey's move is to be something to protect their border, I agree with you that we need to keep a close eye on it that they don't become overly greedy and exceed the necessary troop strength to protect such borders. However, I also believe that any continuous movement into Iraq should be dealt with quickly.

And while I'm on my soap box here's another thing that bothers me. When American's are overseas they are warned against violating foreign country's policies and laws for that country has the right to discipline them according to the laws but yet her in the US we give diplomatic immunity? WHY? WTF? It's time we start making examples of these foreign diplomats and their families and foreigners in general that come here, break the law, and we let them go because it will strain relations with their homeland - ARE WE REALLY THAT PATHETIC OF A COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT STRAINING RELATIONS WITH CERTAIN SMALLER FOREIGN COUNTRIES?

Here's my request for the next President - GROW A PAIR!!!!

TroysBadDawg

02-22-2008, 10:33 AM

Here's my request for the next President - GROW A PAIR!!!!

DO you really think any of those running for the office of President or CONgress can do that? I would love to see it, Hillary with a pair LMAO.

stlrtruck

02-22-2008, 11:54 AM

DO you really think any of those running for the office of President or CONgress can do that? I would love to see it, Hillary with a pair LMAO.

A man can dream can't he!!!

Borski

02-22-2008, 12:24 PM

I respect your guys arguments, but (IMO) we are supporting the wrong country, people of Kosovo have been burning down churches and killing Serbs. and now because they say they want independence they just automatically get it? I think "independence" is a key word in America and just because one country says it means they get their own country no matter what they have done to deserve it.

stlrtruck

02-22-2008, 12:56 PM

and now because they say they want independence they just automatically get it? I think "independence" is a key word in America and just because one country says it means they get their own country no matter what they have done to deserve it.

I think any country should have to fight for their independence just like the Revolutionary War in this country. However, that doesn't mean that they can't have allies - I mean we did have the French to help us out.

Mistah_Q

02-23-2008, 05:28 PM

The U.S. should have no clout in the matter. What, we deny independence to Kurdistan, the Kurds a much more prominent ethnic group than "Kosovars". . . which don't exist; The people asking for independence are Albanian, and last I checked, Albania is already a country.

Hey I've got it. The eastern section of the Ukraine is largely Russian and/or pro-Russian; we need a civil war and independence!

As far as I'm concerned, Bill Clinton should be sitting in prison for war crimes against the people of Serbia (along with Sandy Berger). Lets hope Bush doesn't make the same mistake.

As far as I'm concerned, the U.S. no longer has any standing to deny potential independence movements in Vermont, "Aztlan," or heck, even "Dixie." (Aztlan would be the most likely scenario, I won't go into detail but the various aztlan movements are essentially plans for Hispanic-dominated regions of the U.S. to either become independent or part of Mexico)

Godfather

02-23-2008, 08:20 PM

We need to keep a watch on the Chinese that Clinton gave Favorable Nation status to. They are already trying to bully the USA Naval ships.

They had MFN status before 1993. Daddy Bush preserved it after Tiananmen Square and may very well have saved that murderous regime.

Clinton promised to revoke their MFN status in the 1992 campaign and broke that promise. W compounded their sins by supporting the Chicoms' membership in the idiotic WTO. Plenty of blame to go around.